Method of making sheet metal containers



May 5 1931.

IIETHOD OF MAKING SHEET METAL-CONTAINERS Filed May 2, 1927 25 mnumml- I I INVEZTZE Z? /f' A if I my J. M. HOTHEFSALL 1,803,616

cluding a liqmd tight seam formed by encompgund between. inter- Patented May's, 1931 NI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICj;

. Joan Zn.

METHOD OF MAKING SHEET METAL CONTAINERS Application filed Kay 8, 1927. Serial No. 188,151.

The invention relates generally to sheet metal containers, and while it has more particular reference to the provision of a new and improved method of forming a two piece rial of the seam lies entirely within the outer surface of the pail and presents a smooth, continuous, bottom.

nother important object of the invention is the revision of an improved liquid tight seam or sheet-metal pails by interposin a layer of sealing compound'within the fo ded seam..- Another important object of the invention is the provision of a sheet metal pail having an improved ail bottom construction, in

closin a sealin folde' side wal and ttom portions; during the formation of the container.

- till another important object ofthe inven tion is the provision of an improved two-piece pail or other container having an especiall strong bottom construction, including a 01 ed seam joining the side walls and bottom of the ail, and a reinforcing ridge with which the olded portions of the seam engage toprovide asturdy bottom construction adapted to sustain heavy li uids within the container and to eliminate t e necessity of using more expensive types of paint pails and drawn kegs as containers for heavy paint materials, white lead and similar liquids.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent. as it is better understood from the following descri tion, which, taken in connection with t e accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodimentthereof. I L v I Referringtothe drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sheet metal containerembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the dies for making the sheet metal container showing the separate parts of the container arranged thereon prior to folding adjacent-edges together in forming the container.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of portions of the forming dies and container parts shown in Fig. 2 and illustrating the be 'nning of the formative'die stroke; and

ig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the completionof the formative process.

' To illustrate my invention, I have shown on the drawings a sheet metal container comprising an encircling side wall 11 and a bottom wall 12. The side wall and bottom ofthe container are separately formed and areafterwards secured tdgether to comprise the finished container by 'interfolding certain portions of the parts which are specially V edges rolled over and around a reinforcmg wire 15 to form a bead 14. The bottom edge of the side wall 11 is formed into an inturned integral flange 16 comprising a conical surface, which makes an obtuse an 1e with the side walls. The inner edge of t e flan 16 is bent inwardly to form an annular ange 17 substantially parallel. with the side wall portions 11.

- The bottom 12 of the container comprises a circular sheet, the material of. hich 1s ofiset outwardly from the plane of he bottom. at 18'to form an annular,- sloging portion 19, thence inwardly to forma atannular surface 21 which adjoins-.the'slopin and which lies in a plane .p'aral e with the lpiane of the bottom 12. The material is then 'nt inwardly at ri ht angles to the annular surface 21 to provi e an annular shoulder 22 and thence outwardly toprovide a conical normmaau, or nnooxLYn, new YORK, assxenon 'ro .um'mcm can comm, or new vozax, n. Y., A conronanon or new mnem- .shapedto facilitate the folding operations. I In the embodiment illustrated, the side wall rtion 19 shoulder portion 22. Finally the material at the edge of the bottom is bent up slightly ast the perpendicular to provide an upstan ing ed e flange 24. I

The side wall 11 and the bottom wall 12 are assembled by foldin together the annular flange portions 16 an 17 of the side wallsand portions 23and 24 of the bottom. The is accomplished by means of dies 31 and 32 upon which the parts are assembled and ressed together into interengaged posltion.

e lower die 31 has an integral flanged base 33, flaring side walls 34, a circular top surface 35, and is made hollow asat 36 to increasev strength and resilience and to decrease weight. The die comprises substantially a truncated cone having sides, the slope of which corresponds with the flare of the side wall 11, the die being adapted to fit snugly within and to form a soli support for the flaring pail body during the formation of the ail. p The upper sugface 35 of the lower die is shaped to fit the container bottom; that is to say, the die surface comprises a circular central portion 37, an annular ridge 38, the surfaces of which conform to the shape of the annular ridge composed of the offset bottom portions 19, 21 and 22, and an outerperipheral ledge 39 extending between the rldge 38 and the top ed e of the die.

The upper ie 32 comprises a cylindrical disk having a diameter somewhat greater than the external diameter of the pail bottom: The disk is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 41 which is threaded for engagement with a die shaft 42. The die shaft is connected to press mechanism suitable for operating the dies. The .disk is provided with a circular recess 43, which is disposed centrally in the lower disk face and which has a flat circular bottom surface 44 of a size correspondin to the bottom of the finished container and flarin side walls 45 corresponding to the flare 0% the container walls.

The container is formed by positioning the formed bottom wall 12 centrally upon the upper surface 35 of the lower die, a sealing compound 51 is then or earlier deposited in the annular groove 25. The formed side wall portion is then inverted and placed over the lower die, the wall portion 11 snugly engaging the side of the die and the flange portions 16 and 17 are arranged in juxtaposition with respect to the corresponding flange portions 24 and 23 of the pail bottom, as shown clearly-in Fi 3 of the drawings. The uper die 32 is t en forced down upon the lower ie 31 and the sloping)flange 16 is bent still further from the pail ody. This forces the flange 17 between the adjacent flang-ed portions 24 and 23 of the pail bottom. urther compression of the dies results in the flange 17 being gripped firmly between theportions 24 and 23 of the bottom and the flange 24 being similarlg gripped between the portions 16 and 17,.of t e si e walls. The final result is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which shows the parts com letely folded together. During this process t e sealing compound is scra ed u and is securel enclosed between the inter olded siiie wal and bottom portions providin an annular liquid tight sealing gasket 52 between the two pail portions. The-folded portions are forced into engagement with the peripheral shoulder 22 which strengthens not only the 'oint itself but also the entire pail bottom. he folded portions are forced also into the groove 25 adjacent the shoulder and hence lie entirely within the confines of the outer pail surface, which provides a smooth pail bottom finish.

It is then ht that the invention and many of its atten ant advantages will be under stood from the foregoing description, and itwill be apparent that many changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1 The method of forming a container which comprises forming a continuous side wall and an end portionseparately, each of said-formed portion having formed edges adapted for interfolding, the formed portion of the side wall extending towards the center of said end portion, said end portion having ofi'set portions providing an upwardly presented groove and a shoulder adjacent the edge thereof, spaced from said ed positiomng a sealing compound in sai groove, en agi said formed edges into en agement an foldingthemtogether with one edge interlockin forn e edges of the side wall scrape into and partially remove the sealing compound in the groove, said folded portions being pressed into said groove and into engagement with said shoulder and confining the removed sealing compound therebetween.

2. The method of forming a container, which comprises forming a continuous side wall and an end wall separately, each of said formed elements having edges shaped for interfolding and interlocking, said end wall having a vertical shoulder and a groove formed at the outer side of said shoulder and an upstanding flange formed at the outer part of said groove, and said side wall having a flange extending inwardly over the said groove of the end wall and a depending flange arranged in the inner part of said groove, positioning a sealing compound in said groove between the said flanges, and then compressing said arts together and causing the depending ange of the side wall to scrape along under the other edge, whereby the the bottom of said groove at the lower side of said compound, and causing the upstanding flange of the end wall to scrape along the inwardly extending flange of the side wall, and compacting the parts to form a sealed seam between said elements enclosing said compound.

3. The method of formlng a container, whlch comprlses formlng a continuous s1de wall and an end wall separately, each of said formed elements having edges shaped for intel-folding and interlocking, said end wall having a vertical shoulder and a groove with an inclined bottom formed at the outer side of said shoulder and an upstanding flange formed at theouter part of said groove, and said side Wall having a flange extending upwardly and inwardly over the said groove of the end wall and a depending flange arranged in the inner part of said groove, positioning-a sealing compound in said groove between the said flanges, and then compressing said parts together and causing the depending flange of the side wall to scrape along the bottom of said groove at the lower side of said compound, and causing the upstanding flange of the end wall to scrape along the inwardly extending flange of the side wall, and compacting the parts to form a sealed seam between said elements enclosing said compound.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL. 

